Rail-joint.



J. BROWN.

RAIL JOINT.

Ammonium I'll-m we. as, 1908.

930,834., Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Jigm Brawn Ammw. I. mil to. mow-m. wlamneroh. n, c

mace.

JOHN BROWN, or cAnnEiv, NEW JERSEY.

RAILS-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed August 28, 1908.

Patented Au 10, 1909. Serial No. 450,683.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Camden, in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new? and useful Improvement in Rail-Joints,ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in rail joints, and has for its object to provide an exceedingly simple and effective device of tis character by means of which the ends of two rails maybe joined together without the use of bolts andnuts, thus allowing the rails to expand and con-- tract.

Another object of my invention isto provide a rail joint which will require no change in the present rails and will necessitate but very little cutting of said rails. A still further object of my invention is to provide a rail joint in which the rail will require no bolt receiving openings in the web thereof, therefore the strength of the rail will not be diminished.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by. the claims.

In order that those skilled in the 'art to which this invention stand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by letter to the accompanying drawing'forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of" a rail joint made in accordance with my improvement, and Fig. 2, a plan view thereof;

In carrying out my invention ashere. embodied, A represents the ties and B and O the meeting ends of two rails.

D represents a chair which is adapted to rest between the ties, and .this is so formed to produce a bottom E and upwardly extending flanges F. In the bottom are formed a number of bolt receiving openings G, the use ofwhich will be hereinafter described.

H denotes the fish flanges I, and said flanges are adapted to rest against the web of the rails and extend upward in proximity to the head of the rail thus forming a strong and efficient brace. In proximity to the outer edges of these fish plates are formed the bolt receiving openenough so that when the ends .meet they must center of the chair.-

.away .cable. appertains may underplates which have formed therewith the upwardly extending through the openings G in the base of the chair. The center bolts are out of line with the others, being closer to, the rail than the others. These center bolts are set in far of the rails meet it is required that a portion of the flange of the rails be cut away to form the curved-notch L. This is done so that when the rails expand they will each move to the centerbolts and will then be prevented from moving farther, thus when the two rails meet approximately in the On the ends of these bolts are threaded the nuts M for holding said b olts in place, and if found desirable these may be located in any of the ordinary ways. One end of each fish plate is adapted to overlap and rest on a tie, and in this end is formed the opening N for the reception of a spike so that the fish plate may be fastened to the tie, in this way being prevented from moving or getting out of line.

By the use of my improvement an excellent electric contact is provided between the rails as the fish plate always fits snugly against the web of said rails, thus doing with the necessity of using a copper In practiceshould the fish plates be drawn extra tight against the rails, said rails will not be prevented from expanding and contracting asgthear of the passing tram Wlll cause the rails to slip if they are expanding or contracting, but

will be held securely in-line, the upwardly extending flanges of the fish plates preventing the ends from fmoving from side to side and the base of the chair preventing the ends from moving at any other time they in position and always downward.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details here shown, as these may be varied within certain limits without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, is

1. The herein described combination with the meeting ends of two rails having curved notches formed in the meeting ends of the flanges, a chair so formed as to produce a bottom and upwardly extending flanges, the bottom of said chair having bolt receiving openings formed therein, fish plates having openings formed in proximity to their outer edges, the center ones being out of line with the others or set inward, one end of each of said fish plates being elongated to extend over the ties in opposite directions, and hav-c iiig a notch for the reception of a spike, upwardly extending flanges formed with said fish plates, bolts passing through the bolt receiving openings in the chair and fish plates and nuts threaded on the ends of said bolts,

as shown and described.

2. The herein described combination with the meeting ends of two rails having curved r notches formed in the meetin ends of the plates to the chair flanges, a chair so formed as to produce a bottom and upwardly extending flanges, the bottom of said chair having bolt receiving openings formed therein, fish plates having openings formed in proximity to their outer edges, the center ones being out o1 line with the others or set inward, one end of each of said fish plates being elongated to extend over the ties in opposite directions, and having a notch for the reception of a spike, upwardly extending flanges formed with said fish plates, means for securing said fish and means for securing the fish plates to the ties, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a rail joint, the combination of the meeting ends of two rails having curved notches formed in the meeting ends of the flanges, of a chair so formed as to produce a bottom and upwardly extending flanges, the bottom of said chair having bolt receiving openings formed therein, said chair adapted to rest between two ties, fish plates having bolt receiving opening formed in proximity to their outer edges, the center opening in each plate being nearer the inner edge of the plate, said fish plate having a notch in one end thereof through which passes a spike tor fastening it to a tie, bolts passing through the bolt receiving openings in the chair and tish plates, and nuts threaded on said bolts, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto atiixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J OHN BIKYWN.

lli itnesses CARRIE HiLL, \Vanrnn S. Mivr'rison. 

